Many school board members and School District of Lee County staff shared their condolences to Superintendent Dr. Denise Carlin and her family during Tuesday night’s meeting.

Judge John Carlin, who dedicated more than 35 years serving the people of Southwest Florida, passed away after 5 p.m. on March 5. He was first a Lee County judge and later a Circuit Court Judge in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit.

“He was a lion not only in the legal community, but this community,” Board member Sam Fisher said. “I don’t think you can find a place in this county that he didn’t impact somebody, especially adoptions. Everywhere you turn there are so many stories of adoptions that Judge Carlin did with the boards he served on.”

He also touched on the mentorship that Dr, Carlin’s husband provided people.

“I know when I got on the board, having known Judge Carlin from years before, watching how he ran his courtroom was one of the people that inspired me on how I handled things, Fisher said. “He is a fantastic member, and we are going to miss him.”

He said one of the highlights was Law Week Awards, which included Lee County Bar and law enforcement, as well as a law teacher from the district.

Board Attorney Robert Dodig said he has known both Judge Carlin and Dr. Carlin for 21 years.

“He was a great judge and a great person. The one thing that has given me peace over the last four or five days is knowing that he always wanted to see her as superintendent and that did happen,” Dodig said.

Deputy Superintendent Dr. Ken Savage, who was sitting in for Superintendent Carlin during Tuesday’s meeting, said she was in the proper place of being with her family.

“I know, serving as superintendent twice, it is a very consuming endeavor. The amount of service that she and her whole family puts into this role and this investment into this community. It’s something very few can actually really appreciate,” Savage said.

He said he knew Judge Carlin long before he got to know his wife, as he was one of the very first people in a Teen Court Program. Savage said he was one of the attorneys that helped juvenile offenders through early misdemeanor offenses.

“My father was an attorney and that is how I met Judge Carlin,” he said.

Judge Carlin was also Savage’s wife’s college professor in school law.

“He also sworn me in both times,” Savage said of being the interim superintendent. “He’s a huge part of my families’ lives. What an incredible human being he was.”

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